Finger massage machine



Nov. 1, 1932. c. L. BANKS 1,885,575

FNGER MASSAGE MACHINE Filed June 27.. 1950 f M, Mz

Patented Nov. 1, 1932 PATENT OFFICE CHARLES L. BANKS, 0F ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI FINGER MASSAGE MACHINE Application led June 27,A

The object of my invention is to make a finger massage machine in which the driving element is secured t0 the applicator, which in turn is secured to the hand and in which the motor that is used as the driving element is in spaced relationship with the framefof the applicator and inwhich the speed of vibration of the machine may be regulated by the manipulation of a screw positioned on the frame of the applicator.

A further obj ect is to make an eflicient ma.- chine, one that may be easily manufactured and assembled and/one that is made of parts that lend themselves readily to multiple pro-l duction.

A still` further obj ect is to make the entire machinellight in weight and small and so designed that the heat generated by the motor is not conducted to the applicator, so as to make it hot.

With theseand other objects in view my invention has relation to certain novel features` of construction and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, pointed outin the claims and illus-Y trated in the drawing in which Fig. 1 is a perspectiveview of my device, showing it in position on the ope-rators hand.

F ig; 2 is a sectional elevation taken through the applicator showing the frame of the applicator and the yfinger securing means.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation showing the vibratingelement and the speed regulating device. A Y

Fig. 4' is an enlarged fragmental sectional elevation of the speed regulating device.

Fig 5 isan inverted plan view of my device.

As at present constituted finger massage machines do not have. the motor attached to the applicator. The motor is secured to a stand and the motor drive shaft is direct connectedto the vibrator,rby al flexible shaft. This is unhandy for the use of the machine, because it requires space for the positioning of thestand` and unhandy for the operator, because hismovement is limited to a certain area surrounding the sta-nd. Thisk also involves increased manufacturing cost. The device isused for massaging in beauty par- 1930. Serial No. 464,175.

lors and barber shops, vibrations being transmitted to the fingers, which are in contact with the surface to be massaged from the vibrating element. In mounting the motor on the applicator, the heat from the motor must not be transmitted or conducted to the applicator, because if it is the latter will become over-heated, so as to cause injury if contact is made between the applicator and the skin. The vibrations per minute must be delicately regulated when the machine is used for different purposes, for instance, the speed of vibration vmust be different 'when the face is inassaged than when the scalp is massaged. This variation is accomplished by niydevice, mechanically as distinct from electrically. In mechanical regulation of speed vibrations,

Vthe armature shaft must not be jammed against its journal box, because if it is excessive wear is occasioned and the alinement destroyed occasioning great repair and eventual destruction of the motor. By the use of my speed regulating device, there. is no jamming of the armature shaft in its journal boX.

Numeral 6 designates the pedestal of the applicator 7. To the applicator 7 is secured by a method to be subsequently described, the motor 8. Numeral 9 designates the wires supplying current to the motor 8. To the lower surface of the pedestal 6 is secured the cushion 1-0, preferably made of rubber or yielding material. Numerals 11 designate cords secured to the edgesY of the pedestal 6, as shown in Fig. 2, by means `of the hooks l2. The cords 11 form loops `permitting the insertion of the fingers between them and the cushion 10. The cords llare made of coiled springs, making them resilient so that when the fingers are inserted in the cords 11 against the bottom of the cushion 10, the entire deviceA is held securely on the inserted fingers. The applicator 7 is formedintegral with the pedestal 6 and has the` lateral projections 14 and 15 formed thereon, Numeral 16 designates a screw passing through a'hole in the lateral projection 14 and into a tapped hole` in the frame of the motor 8.

Numeral 17 desigates a screw passing through the lateral projection 15 into a tappe-d hole in the frame of the motor 8.' By

means of the screws 16 and 17 the motor 8 is securely attached to the applicator 17. It will be seen vin Fig. 3 that this construction leaves an air space between the frame of the motor 8 and the vertical frame element 18 of the applicator 7. The applicator 7 is formed of the cylindrical shell 19.

Numeral 20 designates a circular cover plate for the cylindrical shell 19. The circular cover plate 20 is secured to the circular shell 19 by means of the screws 21, which pass through the circular cover plate 2O into tapped holes in the cylindrical shell 19.

Numeral 22 designates the armature shaft, which is mounted in the motor 8 in the conventional Way, and which may be moved slightly longitudinally. This movement is within the limits of one thirty-second of an inch. Numeral 23 designates the switch secured to the motor 8. When the switch 23 is closed the armature shaft 22 is rotated in the conventional manner. Centrally ylocated on the lateral wall of the motor 8 adjacent the applicator 7 is formed the bell-shaped projection 24. The armature shaft 22 passes through the bell-shaped projection 24 as is best seen in Fig. 3. The bell shaped projection 24 also projects through the vertical frame element 18. The armature shaft 22 terminates within the cylindrical shell 19, and its external end is cupped, that is it has a hemispherical concavity formed therein.

Numeral 25 designtes a bronze washer, through which the armature shaft 2O passes. The bronze washer 25 has the concavity 26 formed on one of its lateral surfaces. The bell-shaped projection 24 extends into the concavity 26 of the bronze washer 25, so that the bronze washer 25 comes in contact with the external frame element 18, but not with the bell-shaped projection 24. The bronze washer may be cast as part of the vertical frame element 18.

Numeral 27 designates a washer, preferably made of fiber secured on the armature shaft 22, adjacent the outer surface of the bronze washer 25. Numeral 28 designates a cam or plunger, which is keyed to the armature shaft 22 externally relatively the washer 27. The cam or plunger 28 is shaped. as best shown in Fig. 2, that is it is a mutilated disc.

Numeral 29 designates a ball positioned in the cup end of the armature shaft 22 in rotative engagement. On the vertical frame element 18 is cast the boss 30, in which there is centrally located a tapped hole. In this tapped hole in contact with the ball 29 is positioned the coiled spring 31. Numeral 32 designates a screw which is in threaded engagement in the tapped hole in the boss 30, so that its end comes in contact with the coiled spring 31. Numeral 33 designates a coiled spring surrounding the shank of the screw 32 and between the inner side of the head of the screw 32 and the outer surface of the boss 30.

The purpose of the spring 33 is to fix the position of the screw 32 in a definite position aga-inst accidental rotation. It will be seen that by the structure thus far described that when the screw 32 is turned, so that its shank will move inwardly in the boss 30, that it will depress the coiled spring 31 against the ball 29, which will tend to move the armature shaft 22 to the left in Fig. 3. This possible movement is very slight and is due to the play in the armature shaft previously indicated. If the operation is continued sufficiently, the cam or plunger 28 will push the washer 27 against the bronze Washer 25, which in turn will push against the vertical frame element 18. The friction between the bronze washer 25 and the vertical element 28 and the friction between the bronze washer 25 and the washer 27 and the friction between the Washer 27 and the cam or plunger 28 will retard the speed of rotation of the armature shaft 22, which in turn will retard the speed of rotation of the cam or plunger 28 in the cylindrical shell 19. It is the rotation of the cam or plunger 28 that causes the vibration of the applicator 7, together with the motor 8, the pedestal 6, the cushion 10, which is transmitted to the finger of the operator. This vibration of the fingers, which in operation are held against the surface to be massaged, is the result to be obtained. When the screw 32 is turned in the opposite direction from that previously described, the contact between the bronze washer 25 and the cylindrical shell 19 and the contact between t-he bronze washer 25 and the washer 27 and the contact between the Washer 27 and the cam or plunger 28 is released which causes the speed of rotation of the armature shaft 22 to increase and hence increases the speed of rotation of the cam or plunger 28.

What I claim is: f

1. In a device of the character described an applicator, a motor secured thereto, said applicator comprising a cylindrical shell, the armature shaft of said motor passing into said shell, a cam secured to said shaft in said shell, means for selectively moving the shaft of said motor axially.

2. In a device of the character described an applicator, a motor secured thereto, said applicator comprising a cylindrical shell, the armature shaft of said motor passing into said shell, a cam secured to saidv shaft in said shell, means of selectively moving the shaft of said motor axially, said means comprising a screw in contact with the end of said shaft, through the medium of a ball and a coiled spring.

3. In a device of the character described an applicator, a motor, said motor secured to said applicator in spaced relationship, a cushion secured to the pedestal of said applicator, resilient cords secured tothe pedestal of Said applicator around said cushion,

said applicator comprising a shell having lateral projections extending' from its Vertical frame element, screws passing through the lateral projections of said Vertical frame element into the frame of said motor, a cover plate secured to the outer shell, the armature shaft of said motor passing into the cylindrical shell, a bronze Washer secured onto said armature shaft so as to come in contact with the vertical frame element, but not in Contact lo With the frame of the motor, a ber Washer secured onto said armature shaft in Contact with the outer surface of said bronze Washer, a cam keyed to the armature shaft in the cylindrical shell adjacent the liber Washer, the end of the armature shaft being cupped, the cover plate having a boss formed thereon and having a tapped hole centrally positioned therein, a screw in threaded engagement in the tapped hole in the boss of said cover plate, a ball positioned in the cupped end of the armature shaft, a coiled spring positioned between the end of the shank of said screw and said ball.

In testimony whereof I alix my signature.

CHARLES L. BANKS. 

